On June 24, 1999, employees of General Dynamics Land Systems filed a class action lawsuit against their employer in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The plaintiffs alleged age discrimination in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act ("ADEA"), 29 U ...
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On June 24, 1999, employees of General Dynamics Land Systems filed a class action lawsuit against their employer in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The plaintiffs alleged age discrimination in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act ("ADEA"), 29 U.S.C. § 626, and asked the court for monetary compensation, including back pay and benefits, and for an injunction requiring their employer to cease discriminatory actions. Specifically, the plaintiffs contended that a collective bargaining agreement unfairly impacted younger employees, and adversely impacted them with respect to compensation and terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.

On March 10, 2000, the District Court (Judge David A. Katz) granted the defendant's motion to dismiss, holding that claim of reverse age discrimination was not cognizable under the ADEA. Cline v. General Dynamics, 98 F. Supp. 2d 846 (N.D. Ohio 2000). According to the PACER docket, the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed the ruling of the District Court, finding that the plaintiffs had been discriminated against because of their age. The Supreme Court granted certiorari, and on February 24, 2004, reversed the ruling of the appellate court, upholding the District Court's dismissal, and holding that the ADEA does not prohibit favoring older employees over younger employees. Cline v. General Dynamics, 540 U.S. 581 (2004).

A large number of employees of General Dynamics Land Systems between the ages of 40 and 50 who objected to the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement that would preserve health benefits only for workers 50 and older